A/N: Since it's been on ff dot net for entirely too long, this story is currently undergoing MAJOR revisions and re-writes, hence why fourteen chapters have suddenly disappeared. Perhaps they'll return one day. More likely I'll forget to re-upload them, though.

"MCKAY!"

My notes. My notes. MY notes!

His chicken scratch is all over my notes!

Left eye twitches in a most unhealthy manner.

I am going to kill Doctor Rodney McKay.

Do you hear me? Not shout at him. Not threaten him. KILL HIM!

Just wrap my hands around that sarcasm spewing throat of his and throttle him!

And nothing Weir or Sheppard or anyone else says is going to stop me from doing it!

I don't CARE if he's their pet scientist, there are some things that are sacred! Some lines that can never be crossed without retribution having to be sought!

Him scribbling all over my notes is a prime example!

The nerve of that guy! Fixing mistakes in my calculations!

Never mind the fact that he and I are using different algorithms on which to base our research.

Never mind the fact that I am basing my theories on the Lemmon hypothesis and would therefore come up with different answers than he would.

Those inconvenient little bits of logic escaped his notice, apparently.

Growl. I'm gonna go find him and kill him!

If my college room-mate Lois Runtz could see me right now, she'd probably suggest that I have a thing for the guy because he's driving me so crazy.

Ordinarily, I would have to agree with her, as that really is my usual modus operandi, but that's not the case in this particular scenario.

Oh sure, I thought he was adorable when I first climbed off the Puddle Jumper and was greeted by Doctor Weir, but then he had to open his mouth and speak.

Haven't been able to stand him since.

I'm so angry that I'm actually shaking with rage.

I think if I get any angrier I just might defy all the rules of medical science and literally explode.

There he is. Hiding behind Sheppard.

Not that that will save him or anything.

"YOU!" I bellow, pointing an accusing finger at him, causing every head in sight to turn, "You egotistical, self absorbed, narcissistic, arrogant bastard! I'm going to kill you for this!" Advance on him.

He looks like a confused, scared, trapped animal. Of course, you'd look that way too if you were less than five feet away from a very, very pissed physicist bent on crushing your skull between her palms like a walnut.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sheppard's got hold of my shoulders, trying to hold me back. I suspect he's going to try and reason with me.

Screw that.

"Colonel, let me go. Now." Grind out every syllable through teeth clenched so tightly it's making my jaw ache.

"Not until you calm down."

Glare at him with such ferocity it should make him wince.

"Take a deep breath, count to ten and then we can talk."

Pretty sure I'm going to rupture a blood vessel any second now.

Take a deep, shuddering breath. Count to ten.

"One."

He ruined my notes.

"Two."

Three weeks of work, down the proverbial toilet.

"Three."

Because of his ego.

"Four."

I'll have to start all over.

"Five."

He's done nothing but undermine my authority with my researchers since I got here.

"Six."

And insult me.

"Seven."

And push every single button I have.

"Eight."

This counting thing is NOT helping.

"Nine."

Sheppard's loosened his grip.

Idiot.

Abandon counting in favor of roaring and launching myself at McKay, hell bent on tearing his face off with my bare hands.

Don't get very far. Been snatched off of him by three or four members of Atlantis military personnel.

Weir's been alerted by security and has just entered the Mess Hall.

Still struggling against the arms of Atlantis crewmen, "Get off me, you goons!"

Getting nowhere relatively fast.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"She's trying to kill me!"

"DAMN RIGHT I AM!"

"See? I TOLD YOU!"

"Doctor Winter! You will calm down, or you'll be taken to the medical bay and given a sedative!"

Jaw makes snapping noises, I'm grinding my teeth so hard. Breathing pretty hard too.

"Now I demand to know what this is all about!"

Eye twitches again. Really close to having a stroke, my blood pressure is so high.

Gulp. Steady voice as best I can. Still end up sounding like my vocal cords are suffering from an internal earthquake.

"I was working on a theory that would allow us to regenerate the power within a ZedPM, and this idiot ruined it!"

Have put special emphasis on the word 'Idiot', and watched his eyes narrow dangerously at the insinuation.

"Your facts were incorrect! I corrected them!"

"My facts were incorrect when applied to the algorithm you're using! I was working under the rules of the Lemmon hypothesis!"

Realization dawns on his face. He has the good grace to look horrified at his mistake.

For a split second anyway.

"How was I supposed to know that!"

Ignore.

"I have to start all over! Three weeks of my work has been rendered totally WORTHLESS!"

Whole body shudders with a deep breath.

"I understand that you're angry-"

Voice lowers dangerously, "Doctor Weir, I have put up with his condescension, his undermining me with my staff at every turn and his insults, but this is the final straw! I DEMAND BLOOD!"

Have started struggling again in earnest, anger and adrenaline fueling me.

Several more minutes of her trying to reason with me, and I'm calming down considerably.

Not enough to stop wanting to murder him of course, but enough to get the guards to loosen their grip on me

I'm standing on my own now, pointing angrily in McKay's general direction.

She's convinced me I can't kill him.

Fine.

Another course of action then.

"Keep him the hell away from me and he just might live to see the day I leave this God forsaken planet!"

Stalk off angrily, but pause in Mess Hall doorway to turn back and point at him.

"If he comes within so much as a hundred feet of my research, my lab, or me, so help me God I'll take his head between my hands and squeeze until his eyes pop out!"